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Thailand
Casualties and Victim Assistance
Casualties
Casualties in 2009
|
Casualties in 2009 |
18 (2008: 26) |
|
Casualties by outcome |
18 injured (2008: 3 killed; 23 injured) |
|
Casualties by device type |
9 antipersonnel mines; 9 unknown devices |
In 2009, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor identified 18 mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) casualties in Thailand. All casualties were injured; 13 were adult men, two were women, and another three casualties were children (two girls and one boy). Four casualties were military personnel and one a police officer. Most mine/ERW casualties occurred in incidents on the Thai-Cambodia border (12).[1] The 2009 total represented a decrease from the 26 mine/ERW casualties identified in 2008.[2] However as in past years, reporting was not comprehensive and thus trends can not be considered conclusive. The Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC) reported 13 of the casualties in 2009 and 18 for 2009.
The most comprehensive casualty data collection for Thailand, including casualties both killed and injured, remains the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), which identified at least 3,468 casualties to May 2001 (1,497 people killed and 1,971 injured).[3] From June 1998 to the end of 2009, Landmine Monitor recorded 573 casualties in Thailand: 26 killed, 187 injured, and 360 of unknown status.[4]
Victim Assistance
The total number of mine/ERW survivors in Thailand at the end of 2009 was estimated to be about 1,270.[5]
A retrospective survivor survey completed in early 2009 included assessment of survivor needs as well as the availability of existing services and structures together with general recommendations for improving the provision of victim assistance.[6] In a follow-up to the survey with UNDP support, in late 2009, 80 landmine survivors in Sa Kaeo province participated in focus-group discussions on assistance and produced recommendations on providing sustainable support for the future.[7] Thailand reported that local actors in mine-affected areas did not effectively share information on persons with disabilities, including mine/ERW survivors.[8]
Victim assistance coordination[9]
|
Government coordinating body/ focal point |
TMAC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
|
Coordinating mechanism |
The National Sub-Committee on Victim Assistance under the National Committee for Humanitarian Mine Action, includes TMAC, relevant government ministries (foreign affairs, public health, social development and human security, interior, and labor), and NGOs |
|
Plan |
The Master Plan for Mine Victim Assistance 2007–2011 |
The National Sub-Committee on Victim Assistance met once in 2009. The Sub-Committee discussed next steps in victim assistance under the Mine Ban Treaty in the lead-up to the Second Review Conference. In addition, there were two meetings of a working group of the Sub-Committee which coordinated an emergency rescue training drill and the follow-up on its outcomes.[10]
Thailand strongly connected its work on victim assistance with the implementation of its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.[11] Thailand provided updates on victim assistance activities in its Article 7 reporting and statements at international meetings. Thailand also included an expert from the Ministry of Public Health on its delegations at Mine Ban Treaty meetings.
There no reports that mine/ERW survivors or their representative organizations were included in coordination or implementation of services in 2009.
Service accessibility and effectiveness in 2009[12]
|
Name of organization |
Type of organization |
Type of activity |
Changes in quality/coverage of service in 2009 |
|
Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) |
Government |
Operated healthcare facilities in mine-affected areas and a network of emergency response teams |
Improved capacity with specific training on mine/ERW emergency medical care; local healthcare centers and hospitals made accessible for persons with disabilities |
|
National Health Security Office (NHSO) |
Government |
Responsible for funding the provision of prosthetic and other mobility devices and managing individual rehabilitation programs for persons with disabilities |
Increase in per capita funding for rehabilitation and devices for persons with disabilities |
|
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security |
Government |
Community-based program providing social support for persons with disabilities |
Trained new volunteers and management teams |
|
Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center |
Government |
Provided free prostheses, assistive devices, wheelchairs, and other aids for persons with disabilities through hospitals |
Decrease in devices provided |
|
Prostheses Foundation |
National NGO |
Prostheses and assistive devices provided free of charge |
Assisted in establishing an additional five centers in local hospitals |
|
Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR) |
National NGO |
Supplied basic essentials such as food to persons with disabilities including mine survivors in Sa Kaeo province |
No change |
|
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) |
International NGO |
Assistance to mine/ERW survivors and their children as part of its broader programs including visits to landmine survivors, educational support for children, and emergency support such as dry food and blankets |
No change |
Some improvement in the quality of victim assistance was reported in Thailand in 2009. However, gaps remained in assistance in remote communities where mine/ERW survivors faced difficulties in accessing services.[13]
The Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, under the Ministry of Public Health, conducted a landmine victim assistance emergency training in Chanthaburi province in August 2009. Training included a rehearsal of emergency plans in the case of a mine incident and information on emergency telephone services and the roles of other agencies in providing assistance to survivors.[14]
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security increased the capacity of its national community-based rehabilitation program by training new volunteers, reviewing implementation in the field, developing new community and provincial plans, and enhancing the capacity of the program management teams through training.[15]
Continuing a trend over the past six years, government resources for mobility devices and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities were increasingly channelled through the NHSO. In 2009, the NHSO provided more services than the Sirindhorn Medical Rehabilitation Center. The role of the Sirindhorn center decreased significantly.[16]
No significant improvement in the availability of employment or economic inclusion activities was reported. Less than 30% of survivors had received vocational training, however, such training was seen as incompatible with the agricultural occupations held by many survivors and other economic opportunities were needed.[17]
Significant progress was made in improving access to the social welfare system for people with disabilities in 2009. Thailand launched the plan to register all persons with disabilities in November 2009, which resulted in more persons with disabilities, including mine/ERW survivors, being eligible to receive monthly disability pensions and benefits, including free medical care and rehabilitation.[18]
Thailand has legislation protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and its constitution prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities and provides for access to services. The constitution also requires newly constructed buildings to have facilities for persons with disabilities, but this was not consistently enforced.[19]
Thailand ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 29 July 2008.
[1] Casualty data provided by Maj. Somsong Sudsanoh, Special Affairs Division, TMAC, 15 July 2010; and Landmine and Cluster Munition Media monitoring from 1 January 2009–31 December 2009.
[2] Email from Lt. Pongpol Sutthibenjakul, Database Officer, TMAC, 5 May 2009; fax from Duangrudee Chanchareon, Nurse, Mae Sot Hospital, 28 April 2009; fax from Supanit Dhammawong, Nurse, Si Sang Wal Hospital, 28 April 2009; data from the Epidemiology Office of the Ministry of Public Health provided by fax from the Division of Operation Coordination, TMAC, 29 April 2009; and Landmine Monitor media monitoring from January–December 2008.
[3] Survey Action Center and Norwegian Peoples Aid, “Landmine Impact Survey: Kingdom of Thailand,” 2001, p. 18.
[4] See previous editions of Landmine Monitor. The LIS recorded 346 new casualties between June 1998 and May 2001. This total includes some casualties injured in Myanmar and recorded in Thailand, which could not be separated from the data.
[5] A survey completed in the beginning of 2009 identified 1,252 survivors in Thailand and another 18 survivors were identified during 2009. See Handicap International (HI), “Mine Victim Survey and Situation Analysis: Findings, Analyses and Recommendations,” Bangkok, June 2009, p. 3. These figures are thought to differ from the high number of injured reported in the LIS as they include only Thai nationals resident in Thailand.
[6] HI, “Mine Victim Survey and Situation Analysis: Findings, Analyses and Recommendations,” Bangkok, June 2009, pp. 6–10.
[7] Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2010; and UNDP, “Capacity Building to Support Thailand Mine Action Center Project: Annual Report 13 January–31 December 2009,” undated but 2010, pp. 8–10.
[8] Kingdom of Thailand, “Status of Victim Assistance in Thailand,” Draft, Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, Geneva, 26 May 2009, p. 2.
[9] Presentation by Lt.-Gen. Tumrongsak Deemongkol, then-Director General, TMAC, Thirteenth International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisors, Geneva, 16 March 2010; Kingdom of Thailand, “Status of Victim Assistance in Thailand,” Draft, Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, Geneva, 26 May 2009, p. 1; “Master Plan for Mine Victim Assistance 2007–2011,” (adopted 26 February 2007) provided by email from Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnak, Deputy Secretary-General, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, 28 May 2009; and interview with Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnak, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, in Geneva, 27 May 2009.
[10] Email from Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnark, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, 4 August 2010.
[11] Disabled People’s International Asia-Pacific, “Report on second meeting of ambassadors of the Group of States Friends of the CRPD (February 24th 2010),” 10 April 2010, www.dpiap.org.
[12] Prostheses Foundation, “Current facilities/community hospital prostheses,” www.prosthesesfoundation.or.th; letter from the office of Dr. Piyavit Sorachaimetha, Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center, 27 April 2009; letter from Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center, 26 April 2010; Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, “Report on Results of Implemented Activities according to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Policy, January–April 2009,” Bangkok, April 2009, p. 26–27, www.m-society.go.th; emails from Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnak, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, 11 April 2010 and 4 August 2010; Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, “Training plans help mine victims: a new dimension of medical emergency,” www.niems.go.th; telephone interview with Siwa Boonlert, Field Manager, COERR, 30 July 2010; interview with Sermsiri Ingavanija, Coordinator, Ban Landmine and Cluster Munitions Project, JRS, 31 March 2010; telephone interview with Sermsiri Ingavanija, JRS, 30 July 2010; and telephone interview with Ruangrit Luenthaisong, Manager, Peace Road Organization, 30 July 2010.
[13] Presentation by Lt.–Gen. Tumrongsak Deemongkol, TMAC, Thirteenth International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisors, Geneva, 16 March 2010.
[14] Email from Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnak, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, 11 April 2010; and Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, “Training plans help mine victims: a new dimension of medical emergency,” www.niems.go.th.
[15] Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, “Report on Results of Implemented Activities according to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Policy, January–April 2009,” Bangkok, April 2009, p. 26–27, www.m-society.go.th.
[16] Email from Dr. Prachaksvich Lebnark, Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, 4 August 2010.
[17] Kingdom of Thailand, “Status of Victim Assistance in Thailand,” Draft, Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, Geneva, 26 May 2009, p. 10.
[18] National Office of Empowerment for Persons with. Disabilities, “Situation of Registered Persons with Disabilities,” www.nep.go.th.
[19] United States Department of State, “2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Thailand,” Washington, DC, 11 March 2010.
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